The Latest: In Iowa, Biden says leaders need to set the tone

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Latest on former Vice President Joe Biden (all times local):

8:50 p.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden has made a campaign stop in Iowa, where he bemoaned the tone of Trump-era politics and gave a preview of how he might take on the Republican president should he seek the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

In Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Biden said, "It's our leaders who need to set the tone and dial down the temperature and restore some dignity to our national dialogue."

Biden was on a trip across the Midwest campaigning for Democrats in states that President Donald Trump carried in 2016. He stopped in Wisconsin earlier on Tuesday.

Referencing the violence of last week that included the synagogue shootings and a wave of pipe bombs, Biden thundered, "What the hell is happening to us? Our children are listening!"

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2:25 p.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is back on the campaign trail, this time stumping for Democratic candidates in Wisconsin and Iowa.

He blasted the "forces of hate that have terrorized our fellow Americans for their political beliefs, the color of their skin or their religion" during a speech Tuesday morning in Wisconsin.

His return to Iowa later Tuesday is certain to fuel speculation about whether he'll launch a presidential bid. He's not expected to make an announcement until after the midterms, but some Iowa Democratic activists say his message could resonate amid concerns about the nation's heated political rhetoric.

Biden has long been an unsparing critic of Trump's moral leadership. Campaigning in Nevada this month, he said American values are "being shredded by a president who is all about himself."

Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden and Tammy Baldwin embrace during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden and Tammy Baldwin wave during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Former Vice President Joe Biden takes a selfie with students during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden greets supporters during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a rally with Wisconsin Democrats on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus, Tuesday Oct. 30, 2018, in Madison Wis. Biden called for more civility and dignity in politics during a rally, offering a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump while telling the students they can "own" next week's election if they vote. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

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